My oldest two girls and I visited the Blue Ridge Mountains this past weekend They were spectacular with their golds, reds & oranges...and still quite a bit of green! June & July is prime time for the pink & purple rhododendrons.

Asheville, NC is 24 miles south of Craggy Gardens. "Craggy" has great views from the east and west and we missed the sunrise this trip. The Great Craggy Mountains are an area of exposed rock surfaces and high peaks that provide breathtaking views of the distant southern Appalachian ridges.

I think we might have hiked part of the "bald" area but by the time we got back to the visitor center to ask, it was closed. In the second photo above, you can see a whole area with no leaves - quite in contrast to the green, colorful side. This was fun to hike.

We tried to make it to Douglas Falls. We hiked quite a bit of the trail, but it was 4 miles (one way) and I made the decision to turn around before dark... we were told we might see bears and other wild animals and I preferred a bit of light. We did hike half of it, through a mixed hardwood forest which winds past a series of cascades and two virgin hemlock groves before reaching the 70-foot Douglas Creek Falls. I am told it is a rewarding, 4-mile hike (8 mile roundtrip). My daughters are all for getting up early on the next trip as they are eager to make it next time to the falls.

As I hiked these trails, I found it was necessary to really watch my footing. The fallen leaves provided a very slippery "carpet" upon the jagged, and often times, wobbly rocks. Tree roots are hidden amongst ground coverage and we all tripped numerous times.

The following day we visited the magnificent St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, NC. They encouraged photos and I took full advantage. I will post about that tomorrow. We also enjoyed shopping in the quaint historic downtown area and a two hour historic trolley ride. I will post about that as well. So, please come back!

Carol - LOL. With how loud I was breathing (and the numerous resting breaks... aka photography breaks!) I was not afraid of scaring any bears. They could here me a mile away! I said I sounded like a freight train.

Asheville is obviously a tourist destination, but there are so many quaint towns along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Life seems to slow down and there is something religious about the views and nature. It touches the soul and reinvigorates.

Palm a poem as if fragile even if the words are bold. Let them sink into your skin as if moonlight, let them flow through your veins until they become ordinary - for only then will we know they nourished.

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Let Life Happen

"What should I say about your tendency to doubt your struggle or to harmonize your inner and outer life? My wish is ever strong that you find enough patience within you and enough simplicity to have faith. May you gain more and more trust in what is challenging, and confidence in the solitude you bear. Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right in any case." (Rainer Maria Rilke) Furnborg, Jonsered, Sweden, November 4, 1904 Letters to a Young Poet